


The Hypothesis

by Minuete



Series: His and Her Angst [17]
Category: The X-Files
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Anonymous prompt, Cancer Arc, Community: txf-prompt-box, F/M, Light Angst, Post-episode: s04e22 Elegy, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-09
Updated: 2018-01-09
Packaged: 2019-03-02 15:43:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13321350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Minuete/pseuds/Minuete
Summary: Mulder visits Scully after the events of Elegy.





	The Hypothesis

**Author's Note:**

> I can't find the anonymous prompt on Tumblr anymore, but the premise was that Mulder comforts Scully during the chemotherapy side effects.

He came over to her apartment with the intention to further discuss the apparition hypothesis since she left in a hurry upset at his accusation.  He had knocked several times on her door with no immediate answer, so he let himself in. His heart wanted to break into a million pieces when he heard her throwing up in her bathroom, a side effect from the several medications that they both knew weren’t working. He mentally discarded his intent as he immediately hung his trench coat and suit jacket then sought to find some ginger tea in her kitchen cupboards, something to soothe her stomach.  He waited for the tea kettle to whistle as he heard Scully washing up in the bathroom before exiting.

She was wearing her thick, white robe. The same robe that she wore when she was treated by the notorious Dr. Scanlon.  Make-up free, Mulder noticed her pallor, accentuating how the treatments were taxing her body. She looked at him almost warily as she pulled her robe closer to her body and turned on her thermostat.

“What are you doing here, Mulder, that it couldn’t wait until tomorrow morning?” she asked as the tea kettle started to whistle. Mulder poured the hot water into the mug holding a ginger tea bag. He guided her by the elbow to have her sit in her armchair while he took the couch beside it placing the mug down on the coffee table for the tea to steep. 

“I wanted to discuss about Harold and your hypothesis, but it doesn’t matter anymore…” he trailed off as he scrutinized her. She curled herself up into a ball, her cheek resting on top of her knees as she stared at her fireplace.  Her eyes closed, not allowing him to read her emotions, but he could tell that she was exhausted from today.  Could see that she was still shaken up by what she claimed she saw. 

“I saw him. I saw Harold,” Scully replied quietly, “Right after I left you in the hallway. He appeared in my rearview mirror.” 

If her hypothesis were true, then it meant her death was coming sooner than Mulder anticipated.  He leaned forward on the couch, looking at his hands clasped together tightly, elbows resting on his knees. This was all his fault, every damn thing that happened to Scully was his doing in search of the Truth.  

“Was he trying to tell you something?” Mulder managed to ask, keeping his voice as calm as possible despite the fact he wanted to rage and scream at Scully’s God, to rage at himself.  Scully shook her head then grimaced as a wave of pain washed over her.  He didn’t know this was another side effect of the treatments as he watched her hold her breath until the wave passed. “Scully…”

“Mulder, I think you should leave,” she managed to whimper as she uncurled herself and clutched at the armrest to brace herself of the pain.

He gathered her into his arms placing her on his lap like a child as he had her rest her head upon his chest. He could feel her shudder against him, feel her tears soak through his shirt as she gripped it tightly.  She looked so tired, so worn out. He kissed the top of her forehead willing the pain to subside as he gently stroked her head and her right thigh,  “You’ll get through this, Scully. You’re the strongest person I know.” She huffed at his compliment as he continued to ramble, “We’ll find the best treatment for you, Scully. The guys are researching on this for us. They told me the latest development on cancer research happening at Stanford. I’ll pay for everything, Scully, to see you well again.  Before you know it, you’ll be squaring off on my latest crackpot theories as we tackle another X-File case that lands on our desk.”

”It will definitely be a crackpot theory, alright,” she murmured as she loosened her grip on his shirt, too tired to fight her exhaustion now as the pain subsided. He motioned at the tea but she shook her head, “I just want to rest, Mulder.”

“Okay, Scully,” he replied as he hooked his left arm under her legs and carried her to her bedroom.  He bit his lip suppressing a gasp at her weight loss.  It was almost too much for him when he helped her out of her robe and carefully tucked her under the covers to see how frail she looked.  Her blue eyes brimmed with unshed tears didn’t help as he placed another kiss on her forehead. 

“Thank you,” she whispered and that’s when Mulder choked out a sob as she held his left hand in her right, “It’s okay, Mulder.  It's just a bad day for me…”

“I’m staying until your bad day is over then,” he declared, “Promise me you’ll call me when you’re having one of your bad days, Scully. I’ll drop everything and be right over.”

“Mulder,” she admonished, “I don’t need you to tend to me.”

“No, you don’t,” he agreed, “but I need it, Scully. I  _want_  to be here, just like how you  _want_  to continue working. Allow me this…” She gripped his hand tightly before letting go, quickly falling asleep with a small smile on her face.  Mulder pulled up a chair to be beside her bed and laid his head down near her outstretched hand; his thoughts recalling what Scully confessed to him and what it entailed.  There was nothing he could do to stop it.


End file.
